Nirvana Hair Gallery Is A Family Affair

Chuck Martino was in his junior year at West Chester University when he decided to double up on his studies. He began attending university classes at night, while spending his days at hair school, learning to become a hair stylist.

“That was much to my father’s dismay, because he wanted me to focus on college,” he said.

Martino launched his career working at a salon, then decided to open his own shop, Corinthian Hair Studio, in 1992.

Over the years, Martino has opened five salons. Currently, he owns and operates , located on Saxer Avenue here in Springfield. After renting space for years, Martino decided to buy a building and move his business in December 2010.

Nirvana Hair Gallery is the quintessential family business.

“My mother is my manager and my brother is my business partner,” he said. “The best partners you could have are family. I’ve had business partners in the past and we ended up splitting up. It’s like a terrible divorce. With family, you can trust them.”

Martino said he strives to treat all his employees like family members, though sometimes, that can lead to difficult situations.

“Three years ago, about 16 of my employees left my shop and opened a salon three blocks from my location. That was tough, because these people were like family to me. But business is business and you move on.”

After that, Martino moved the business from its location in Bryn Mawr back to Springfield, where he grew up.

Nirvana Hair Gallery specializes in coloring and haircuts, but Martino says, in the salon business, it’s important to stay up-to-date on all of the latest trends.

“Waxing, massages, feather extension, permanent makeup tattooing,” he says. “We do it all.”

To keep up with the trends, Martino looks to salons in California and the United Kingdom to see services they offer.

“It’s important that I try to do things that are trendy and new that other local hair salons aren’t offering,” he said.

Martino has about 25 employees now but, in the future, he hopes to expand. He said he and his family have been thinking about buying another building in Springfield, or possibly just expanding through the back of the building he already owns.

“We’re doing so well, of course we’re thinking about adding more space and more services. But it’s all about managing expansion, because I’ve learned that bigger isn’t always better,” Martino said.

For him, keeping things smaller and more manageable has been one of the keys to his success.

“With a smaller staff, you can really take the time to make them well-trained,” he says. “People know that when they walk in here, they’re going to get quality work because of that.”

And now that Martino has been an entrepreneur for close to 20 years, his father is completely supportive of his chosen profession.

“He’s proud as punch,” Martino said. “I actually helped my father retire early and now he’s working for me. We love it.”

We’re eager to hear from any business with a story to tell. If you’re interested in being featured in “Springfield’s Business,” or if you have a suggestion about a business you would like to read about, let us know in the comment area below or send an email to Leslie.Truluck@Patch.com